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Towards White
They know what’s going to happen to you… after you die. Scientists in Iceland think they’ve figured out one of our greatest mysteries – where the electrical energy in our brains goes after we die. According to the laws of physics, one form of energy must always become another form. So the electrical energy in our brains and nervous system can’t simply disappear… When ex-lawyer Becky Dales travels to Iceland to track down her missing brother, she doesn’t care about the groundbreaking discoveries, or the positive-thinking practiced by the Icelanders – she just wants her brother back. Having stumbled on something she thinks the Icelandic government wants covered up, Becky must piece together the answers fast… before she becomes a victim herself.
- GenresScience Fiction
270 pages, Paperback
Published September 1, 2017
8 people want to read
About the author
Zena Shapter
31 books52 followersZena Shapter is a multi-award winning author of science fiction, fantasy, speculative and contemporary fiction, conjuring journeys into the beyond and unusual. Author of ‘When Dark Roots Hunt’, ‘When Dark Waters Burn’, 'Towards White', and co-author of 'Into Tordon', among others, she’s a ‘writer with a need for adventure’ (Midnight Echo magazine), “a specialist in the weird, wacky, wonderful” (Writing NSW), creating “the kind of excitement and suspense and pure pleasure that made me want to become a writer” (Lillian Csernica, Tangent Online), “dark fantasy at its blood-soaked finest” (Australasian Horror Writers’ Association), “cold and brutal” (Tor.com) and “beautifully crafted and well told stories that deserve to be read many times” (Glen Miles Short Story Prize). She loves movies, frogs, chocolate, potatoes, and living with her family on Sydney’s beautiful Northern Beaches, where she’s also an inclusive creativity advocate, writing mentor and editor. Find her online via @ZenaShapter and zenashapter.com
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 5, 2017
Interesting fact about me: I actually don’t read much sci fi (though I enjoy watching it). My brain switches off as soon as things get technical. I do love thrillers and mysteries and a healthy dose of cynicism alongside my government official of the week. Towards White straddles both genres.
From the blurb:
Scientists in Iceland think they’ve figured out one of our greatest mysteries – where the electrical energy in our brains goes after we die. According to the laws of physics, one form of energy must always become another form. So the electrical energy in our brains and nervous system can’t simply disappear…
When ex-lawyer Becky Dales travels to Iceland to track down her missing brother, she doesn’t care about the groundbreaking discoveries, or the positive-thinking practiced by the Icelanders – she just wants her brother back. Having stumbled on something she thinks the Icelandic government wants covered up, Becky must piece together the answers fast… before she becomes a victim herself.
Normally this sort of story wouldn’t be my cup of tea. However, because Shapter is adept at combining cliffhanger thrills alongside science, my interest in the plot was maintained throughout. The Icelandic scenery coupled with dodgy government officials and shady cover ups will remind readers of Scandi Noir TV and film. The writing is lush enough to bring such shows to mind. The science fiction side of the world building is also strong. I never felt like I was reading about a story that couldn’t exist. Sometimes I read stories where I can’t suspend disbelief because the world feels so unreal. Though Towards White features near perfect crime detection technology and ghosts, the explanations feel realistic.
Another strong point to this novel is the characters. I felt that Becky’s love for Mark was built up believably over the story arc and her relationships with other characters made perfect sense in terms of the events that unfolded. I especially liked Anna and Ari. In some ways, the types of characters and the plot reminded me of some of Dan Brown’s better novels, except more competently written and with more complex back stories. I’d definitely read more of Shapter’s work and be less afraid of picking up something not in my usual genre next time.
If you enjoy well written sci with a thriller bent in a believable world and setting, I think Towards White could be for you.
From the blurb:
Scientists in Iceland think they’ve figured out one of our greatest mysteries – where the electrical energy in our brains goes after we die. According to the laws of physics, one form of energy must always become another form. So the electrical energy in our brains and nervous system can’t simply disappear…
When ex-lawyer Becky Dales travels to Iceland to track down her missing brother, she doesn’t care about the groundbreaking discoveries, or the positive-thinking practiced by the Icelanders – she just wants her brother back. Having stumbled on something she thinks the Icelandic government wants covered up, Becky must piece together the answers fast… before she becomes a victim herself.
Normally this sort of story wouldn’t be my cup of tea. However, because Shapter is adept at combining cliffhanger thrills alongside science, my interest in the plot was maintained throughout. The Icelandic scenery coupled with dodgy government officials and shady cover ups will remind readers of Scandi Noir TV and film. The writing is lush enough to bring such shows to mind. The science fiction side of the world building is also strong. I never felt like I was reading about a story that couldn’t exist. Sometimes I read stories where I can’t suspend disbelief because the world feels so unreal. Though Towards White features near perfect crime detection technology and ghosts, the explanations feel realistic.
Another strong point to this novel is the characters. I felt that Becky’s love for Mark was built up believably over the story arc and her relationships with other characters made perfect sense in terms of the events that unfolded. I especially liked Anna and Ari. In some ways, the types of characters and the plot reminded me of some of Dan Brown’s better novels, except more competently written and with more complex back stories. I’d definitely read more of Shapter’s work and be less afraid of picking up something not in my usual genre next time.
If you enjoy well written sci with a thriller bent in a believable world and setting, I think Towards White could be for you.
April 30, 2018
‘Towards White’ is a speculative take on what happens to the electrical energy in a human brain after its human body dies. The narrative begins slowly as Shapter builds a fantastical icy world that blurs boundaries between physiology, anatomy and the behavioural sciences, and religions both western and eastern. The author presents a torrent of facts and ideas about this world and its social consequences, through the thesis of the main character’s brother, Mark, who has mysteriously disappeared. At times however there is a little too much exposition, resulting in some rather solid dialogue.
Ex-lawyer Rebecca travels to Iceland to find out what happened to her brother, only to learn that he has died in distressing circumstances (not a spoiler as this is established early on in the text although how/why he died is an intriguing thread throughout the novel until the dramatic conclusion). The story gathers pace in the second half of the book and becomes a dramatic race to circumvent betrayal and domination against a backdrop of a harshly beautiful wilderness of menacing mountain ridges, a powerful glacier and a treacherous river. Shapter uses descriptions of this landscape to great effect to create tension and fear.
The concluding scenes are worthy of any page-turning thriller even without being set in a futuristic scenario. In spite of the speculative technology and the new order of society envisioned for the citizens of Iceland, ‘Towards White’ is ultimately a powerful story of one woman’s journey from mistrust, doubt and control-at-all-costs to self-revelation and trust in others.
Ex-lawyer Rebecca travels to Iceland to find out what happened to her brother, only to learn that he has died in distressing circumstances (not a spoiler as this is established early on in the text although how/why he died is an intriguing thread throughout the novel until the dramatic conclusion). The story gathers pace in the second half of the book and becomes a dramatic race to circumvent betrayal and domination against a backdrop of a harshly beautiful wilderness of menacing mountain ridges, a powerful glacier and a treacherous river. Shapter uses descriptions of this landscape to great effect to create tension and fear.
The concluding scenes are worthy of any page-turning thriller even without being set in a futuristic scenario. In spite of the speculative technology and the new order of society envisioned for the citizens of Iceland, ‘Towards White’ is ultimately a powerful story of one woman’s journey from mistrust, doubt and control-at-all-costs to self-revelation and trust in others.
October 13, 2017
When Becky receives a phone call that something has happened to her brother Mark, she is forced to drop everything and fly to Iceland. When she arrives, she discovers that the denizens have invented some cutting-edge technology which can read the human energy field. The technology can tell whether a person is lying or not and is being used in conjunction with a philosophy to replace traditions judicial systems. But Becky knows something isn’t right and has threats against her life within hours of arriving. Despite this she refuses to leave until she discovers the truth about what happened to her brother.
Towards White is a gripping murder mystery thriller. What it lacks in action, it makes up for in suspense and emotional drama. I found it to be a page turner that I couldn’t not put down. Towards the end however, I thought the book failed to dig as deep into the mystery of the human energy field and life after death as I would have liked. Somethings I found a little not to my liking, but overall, I thought it was an awesome book. A book that I have recommended to family in friends. So if you like a good murder mystery thriller, you can’t go past this one.
Towards White is a gripping murder mystery thriller. What it lacks in action, it makes up for in suspense and emotional drama. I found it to be a page turner that I couldn’t not put down. Towards the end however, I thought the book failed to dig as deep into the mystery of the human energy field and life after death as I would have liked. Somethings I found a little not to my liking, but overall, I thought it was an awesome book. A book that I have recommended to family in friends. So if you like a good murder mystery thriller, you can’t go past this one.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews